Living radical polymerization is a polymerization process which is adapted for precision control of molecular structures while ensuring convenience and universal usefulness of radical polymerization, and is powerful means for preparing novel polymer materials. Georges et al has made a report on a typical example of living radical polymerization using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy) as an initiator (publication of JP-A No. 1994-199916).
This process makes it possible to control molecular weights and molecular weight distributions, but requires a high polymerization temperature of 130° C. and is difficult to use for monomers having a thermally unstable functional group. The process is also unsuited to the control of modification of terminal functional groups of high molecular weight compounds.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a living radical polymer by polymerizing a vinyl monomer with use of an organotellurium compound represented by the formula (1) and a compound represented by the formula (2), the process making possible precision control of molecular weights and molecular weight distributions (PD=Mw/Mn) under mild conditions, and the polymer.